THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

IN  MEMORY  OF 

PAUL  TURNER,  U.S.M.C.R. 

KILLED  IN  ACTION,  SAIPAN 

JUNE,  1944 


'? 


RAD  A 


WORKS  BY  ALFRED  NOYES 

COLLECTED  POEMS.    2  Vols. 
THE  WINE-PRESS. 
RADA. 

Included  in  COLLECTED  POEMS 
but  published  in  separate  volumes: 
TALES  OF  THE  MERMAID  TAVERN 
SHERWOOD 

THE  ENCHANTED  ISLAND  and 
Other  Poems 

DRAKE:  AN  ENGLISH  EPIC 


RAD  A 

DRAMA     OF     WAR 
IN    ONE    ACT 


BY 


ALFRED  NOYES 

AUTHOR  OF 
"THE  WINE-PRESS,"  "TALES  OF  THE  MERMAID  TAVERN,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERICK   A.  STOKES    COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1913,  by 
ALFRED  NOTES 

AU  rights  reserved 


October,  1914 


PERSONS  OF  THE  PLAY 

RAD  A,  wife  of  the  milage  doctor. 
SUBKA,  her  daughter,  aged  twelve. 
ARRAM      \two  hostile  soldiers  quartered 
MICHAEL )  in  her  house,  in  time  of  war. 
NANKO,  a  half-witted  schoolmaster. 

Several  soldiers. 

THE  SCENE  is  in  the  Balkans,  in  a  village  which 
has  just  been  taken  by  the  enemy,  on  Christmas 
Eve. 


691330 


RADA 


RADA 

SCENE — A  guest-chamber,  the  typical  living-room 
of  a  prosperous  village  doctor  in  the  Balkans. 
On  the  left,  a  small  window  and  an  entrance 
door.  On  the  right,  a  door  leading  into  a  bed- 
room. At  the  back,  an  open  fire  of  logs  is  burn- 
ing brightly.  Over  the  fireplace  is  the  eikonos- 
tasis,  with  three  richly  coloured  and  gilded 
eikons,  the  central  one  of  the  Madonna.  The 
light,  which  is  never  allowed  to  go  out,  is  burning 
before  it.  The  room  is  lit  at  present  only  by 
this,  the  fire-light,  and  two  candles  in  brass 
candlesticks  on  a  black  wooden  table  under  the 
window.  Rows  of  porcelain  plates  round  the 
walls  gleam  fitfully.  On  either  side  of  the  eikonos- 
tasis  is  a  large  chibouk,  with  inlaid  bowl  and 
amber  mouth-piece.  There  is  a  divan  with  scar- 


2  RADA 

let  rugs  flung  across  it  to  the  right  of  the  fire; 
and  there  are  several  skins  and  rugs  on  the  floor. 

Two  Roumanian  soldiers,  ARRAM  and  MI- 
CHAEL, are  seated  at  the  table,  drinking. 

RADA,  a  dark  handsome  woman,  sits  weeping 
with  her  head  bowed  in  her  hands,  on  the  divan. 

NANKO,  the  idiot,  sits  on  the  floor,  rubbing  his 
hands,  snapping  his  fingers,  chuckling  to  him- 
self, and  staring  into  the  fire. 

ARRAM 

Look  here,  my  girl,  where's  the  use  of  snivel- 
ling? You  ought  to  think  yourself  damned 
lucky  to  be  alive. 

RADA 
O  my  God!    My  God! 

MICHAEL 

This  is  war,  this  is !  And  you  can't  expect  war 
to  be  all  cakes  and  cream. 

[They  laugh  and  drink.} 


RADA 


ARRAM 

You  ought  to  think  yourself  damned  lucky 
to  be  alive,  and  have  two  men  quartered  on  you 
instead  of  one.  If  your  husband  and  the  rest 
of  the  villagers  hadn't  made  such  a  disturbance, 
they  might  have  been  alive,  too. 

NANKO 

Exactly!  Exactly!  I  used  to  be  a  school- 
master, you  know,  in  the  old  days;  and,  if  you 
knew  what  I  know,  you'd  understand,  my  dear, 
it's  entirely  a  question  of  the  survival  of  the 
fittest!  The  survival  of  the  fittest!  That's 
what  it  is. 

ARRAM 

Wouldn't  they  have  done  the  same  to  us,  if 
they'd  had  the  chance?  We've  got  women  and 
children  at  home  snivelling  and  saying,  "O  my 
God,  O  my  God,"  just  like  you.  Don't  you 
trouble  about  God.  What  can  He  do  when  both 
sides  go  down  on  their  marrow-bones?  He  can't 
make  both  sides  win,  can  He? 


4  RADA 

RADA 

OGod!    God!    God! 

MICHAEL 

[Getting  up  and  standing  in  front  of  her.] 
Look  here.  We've  had  enough  of  this  music. 
We've  been  cutting  throats  all  day,  and  now  we 
want  to  unbuckle  a  bit.  There'll  be  hell  to  pay 
when  the  other  boys  come  back.  A  pretty  wild- 
goose  chase  you've  sent  them  on,  too,  with  your 
tale  about  the  old  Jew's  money-bags.  What  was 
the  game?  You  seemed  mighty  anxious  to 
wheedle  us  all  out  of  the  house;  and  you'd  never 
get  out  of  the  village  alive  to-night.  Listen  to 
that! 

[There   is    an  uproar  outside,  a  shot,  and  a 
woman* 's  scream,  followed  by  the  terrified  cry 
of  a  child: 
"Ah!    Ah!   Father!"] 

ARRAM 

The  men  are  mad  with  zaki  and  blood  and — 
other  things.    There's  no  holding  them  in,  even 


RADA  5 

from  the  children.    What  chance  would  there  be 
for  a  fine-looking  wench  like  yourself? 

MICHAEL 

Don't  tell  me  you  were  going  out  into  that? 
[He  points  in  the  direction  of  the  uproar.]  Some- 
thing to  hide  on  the  spot,  eh?  Well,  now  you've 
got  the  others  out  of  the  way,  we're  going  to 
have  a  look.  What's  in  there? 

[He  points  to  the  little  door  on  the  left.] 

RADA 

[Rising  to  her  feet  slowly,  steadying  herself  with 
one  hand  against  the  wall,  and  fixing  her  eyes 
on  his  face.] 

This  is  war,  isn't  it?  If  I  choose  to  revenge 
myself  on  those  I  hate — listen  to  me.  I  suppose 
you — want  money.  And  I  can  tell  you  where  to 
find  it. 

ARRAM 

Another  wild-goose  chase  to  the  other  end  of 
the  valley? 


RADA 


RADA 

No.  In  the  old  mill-house.  Not  a  hundred 
yards  away.  Money,  money  enough  to  make  us 
all  rich.  But  [a  cunning  expression  comes  into 
her  face]  if  I  tell  you  where  to  find  it,  you  must 
come  back  and  give  me  my  share. 

MICHAEL 

[Staring  at  her.] 
Another  pack  of  lies !   What  are  you  up  to,  eh? 

ARRAM 

It's  been  too  much  for  her  nerves.  Don't 
worry  her,  or  she'll  go  out  of  her  mind,  and  then 
there'll  be  nobody  to  get  us  our  supper. 

NANKO 

That  would  be  selfish,  Rada.  You  know  it's 
Christmas  Eve.  Nobody  ought  to  think  of 
unpleasant  things  on  Christmas  Eve.  I  don't 
think  it's  right  to  spoil  people's  pleasure  on 
Christmas  Eve.  What  have  you  done  with  the 
Christmas  tree,  Rada? 


RADA 


ARRAM 

And  who's  to  blame?  That's  what  I  want  to 
know.  You  don't  blame  us,  do  you?  Why,  as 
likely  as  not,  we  shall  be  fighting  on  your  side 

against  somebody  else  before  next  Christmas. 

•^ 

MICHAEL 

What  have  you  got  in  there? 
[He  points  to  the  door  on  the  left  again  and  ad- 
vances toward  it.] 

RADA 

[Hurriedly  and  as  if  misunderstanding  him,  opens 
a  cupboard  between  him  and  the  door.] 

Food!  Food!  Food  for  hungry  men!  Food 
enough  for  a  wolf-pack.  Come  on,  help  your- 
selves! 

MICHAEL 

Holy  St.  Peter,  what  a  larder!  Look  at  this, 
Arram.  Here's  a  dinner  for  forty  men. 


8  RADA 

RADA 

[Laughing  wildly.] 

Better  take  your  pick  before  the  others  come. 
It's  our  Christmas  dinner. 

[She  thrusts  dishes  into  MICHAEL'S  hands  and 
begins  loading  the  table  with  food.] 

NANKO 

If  you  happen  to  have  any  crystallized  plums 
there,  Rada,  you  might  give  me  one. 

ARRAM 

Lord,  what  a  sight  for  hungry  soldiers!  We're 
in  luck's  way.  Here,  fetch  me  a  bowl  of  water ! 
I'm  hungry;  but  there  are  times  when  you  can't 
enjoy  food  without  washing  your  hands. 

[RADA  hesitates,  then  goes  out  of  the  room.  ARRAM 
holds  out  a  ring  to  MICHAEL.] 

Her  husband's  ring.    I  got  it  off  his  finger 
When  he  went  down.    He  lay  there  on  his  back 
Howling  like  a  wolf,  with  his  belly  blown  out. 


RADA 


I  put  him  out  of  his  misery.    Look  at  my  hands. 
Ugh!  I  want  to  wash. 

[NANKO  rises  and  peers  at  them.] 

NANKO 

Ah,  but  they're  red. 

Red,  aren't  they?   And  there's  red  on  your  coat, 
too. 

[He  fingers  it  curiously.] 

I  suppose  that's  blood,  eh?    People  are  such 

cowards. 

Many  of  them  never  seem  to  understand 
That  man's  a  fighting  animal.    They're  afraid, 
Dreadfully  afraid  of  the  sight  of  blood. 
I  think  it's  a  beautiful  colour,  beautiful! 
You  know,  in  the  Old  Testament,  they  used 
To  splash  it  on  the  door-posts. 

ARRAM 

[Pushing  him  of.] 

Go  and  sit  down, 
You  crazy  old  devil! 

[RADA  enters  with  a  bowl  of  water,  sets  it  on  a 


io  R  A  D  A 

bench  and  returns  to  her  place.    ARRAM  washes 
his  hands.] 

MICHAEL 

My  hands  want  washing,  too. 
O  Lord,  you've  turned  the  water  into  wine! 
Fetch  me  some  fresh. 

[RADA  approaches,  stares  at  the  bowl  and  moves 
back,  swaying  a  little,  as  if  faint.] 


ARRAM 

[Roughly.] 

I'll  empty  it.    Give  it  to  me. 
[He  goes  out.] 

NANKO 

The  Old  Testament,  you  know,  is  full  of  it. 
Who  is  this,  it  says,  that  cometh  from  Edom 
In  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah?    It  was  blood 
That  dyed  their  garments.    And  in  Revelations 
Blood  came  out  of  the  wine-press,  till  it  splashed 
The  bridles  of  the  horses;  and  the  seas 


RADA  ii 

Were  all  turned  into  blood.    Doesn't  that  show 
That  man's  a  fighting  animal? 

MICHAEL 

[Goes  to  the  door  on  the  right  and  tries  to  open  it.} 
What's  in  here? 

RADA 

[Thrusting  herself  between  him  and  the  door.] 
No !   No !   Don't  go  in  there !   Don't  go  in  there ! 

MICHAEL 

So  that's  the  treasury,  is  it?    Loot?    More  loot? 
What  is  it?    The  family  stocking? 

[ARRAM  enters  with  the  bowl  and  sets  it  down. 
Then  goe$  to  the  table  and  begins  eating.] 

NANKO 

O,  no!  no! 
The  stocking  is  in  the  chimney-corner,  see! 

[He  shakes  the  empty  stocking  that  hangs  in  the 
fireplace] 


12  RADA 

All  ready  for  Santa  Claus.    It's  a  new  custom. 
They  do  it  in  Germany.    The  children,  there, 
Believe  that  Santa  Claus  comes  down  the  chim- 
ney. 
The  doctor  studied  in  Germany,  you  know. 

MICHAEL 

O,  ho!    So  that's  the  trouble!    A  little  girl, 

Rada,  a  little  girl?    Well,  Santa  Claus 

Must  wash  his  hands.    We  mustn't  frighten  her. 

RADA 

It  is  my  little  girl.    She's  twelve  years  old. 
Don't  wake  her.    She  has  slept  all  through  this 

night. 

Help  me  to  save  her.    I'll  do  anything  for  you, 
Anything!    Only  help  me  to  get  her  away 
Safely.    I'll  pray  for  you  every  night  of  my  life. 
I'U- 

[The  door  opens  behind  her,  and  SUBKA,  in  her 
night-dress,  steals  into  the  room.] 

SUBKA 
Ah,  I  knew  it  couldn't  be  Santa  Claus. 


RADA  13 


ARRAM 

What?   Don't  you  know  me?   I  came  down  the 
chimney. 

SUBKA 
I  don't  see  any  soot  upon  your  face. 

[She  goes  nearer.] 
Nor  on  your  clothes.    That's  red  paint,  isn't  it? 

ARRAM 

Can't  help  it.    Santa  Claus — that  is  my  name. 
What's  yours? 

SUBKA 
Mine?    Subka! 

ARRAM 

I've  a  little  girl 
At  home  called  Subka!    Just  about  your  age. 

SUBKA 

You  didn't  come  down  the  chimney. 

[To  MICHAEL.] 
He  didn't,  did  he? 


14  R  A  D  A 

[She  runs  to  the  stocking  and  examines  it.] 
There's  nothing  in  the  stocking. 

AKRAM 

Ah,  Subka, 
That  remains  to  be  seen;  that  remains  to  be  seen. 

SUBKA 

[Pointing  to  MICHAEL.] 
Well,  who  is  that? 

AKRAM 

The  man  that  carries  my  bag. 

SUBKA 

[With  a  sudden  note  of  fear  in  her  voice.} 
Mother,  where's  Father? 

RADA 

[Putting  her  arm  round  her} 

He  will  soon  be  here. 
It's  all  right,  darling. 


RADA  15 

SUBKA 

Has  the  gramophone  come? 

RADA 

Yes,  darling,  long  ago. 

SUBKA 
You  never  told  me. 

NANKO 
That  was  a  secret,  Subka,  a  great  secret. 

SUBKA 

I  thought,  perhaps,  you  were  getting  the  Christ- 
mas tree  ready. 
Can't  we?    Father  won't  mind. 

NANKO 
[Putting  the  Christmas  tree  out  from  the  corner} 

Ah,  here  it  is. 

Now  that's  a  good  idea.    It's  Christmas  Eve. 
We'll  get  it  ready. 


i6  RAD  A 

ARRAM 
Here,  put  it  on  the  table. 

NANKO 
What  shall  we  hang  on  it? 

MICHAEL 

What  do  you  think 
Of  that,  now? 

[He  hangs  a  revolver  on  the  tree.] 

SUBKA 

[Clapping  her  hands.] 
O!    O!    What  a  great  big  pistol! 
That'll  be  Father's  present!     And  now  what 

else? 
What  else? 

ARRAM 

Well,  Subka,  what  do  you  say  to  a 
ring? 

How  prettily  it  hangs  upon  the  bough! 
See,  Subka! 


RADA  17 

SUBKA 

Why,  it's  just  like  Father's  ring! 

ARRAM 

[Striking  a  light.] 
And  now  we'll  light  the  candles. 

NANKO 
[Clapping  his  hands  and  dancing.] 

Yes  that's  right! 

Light  all  the  little  candles  on  the  tree! 
O,  doesn't  the  pistol  shine,  doesn't  the  ring 
GUtter! 

SUBKA 

But  O,  it  is  like  Father's  ring. 
He  had  a  little  piece  of  Mother's  hair 
Plaited  inside  it,  just  like  that.    It  is 
My  father's  ring! 

RADA 

No.    There  are  many  others 
Just  like  it,  Subka, — hundreds,  hundreds  of 
others. 


i8  R  A  D  A 

MICHAEL 

And  now,  what's  in  that  package  over  there? 

SUBKA 

The  gramophone!    O,  that's  the  gramophone! 
That's  Father's  Christmas  present  to  us  all. 

NANKO 

O,  what  a  wonderful  man  the  doctor  was. 
Nobody  else,  in  these  parts,  would  have  thought 
Of  buying  a  gramophone.    Let's  open  it! 

SUBKA 

Yes!    Yes!    And  we'll  give  Father  a  surprise. 
It  shall  be  playing  a  tune  when  he  comes  in. 

[ARRAM    opens   the   package.     NANKO    capers 
round,  rubbing  his  hands.] 

NANKO 

O,  this  will  be  a  merry  Christmas  Eve. 

There  now — just  see  how  this  kind  gentleman 


R  A  D  A  19 

Has  opened  the  package  for  us.    Doesn't  it  show 
The  value  of  training,  military  training? 
That's  what  we  want.    It  benefits  the  health. 
Sets  a  man  up.    Look  at  old  Peter's  legs, 
He's  a  disgrace  to  the  nation,  a  disgrace ! 
Nobody  shoots  him,  either.    So  he  spoils 
Everything;  for  you  know,  you  must  admit, 
Subka,  that  war  means  natural  selection, 
Survival  of  the  fittest,  don't  you  see? 
For  instance,  I  survive,  and  you  survive; 
Don't  we?    So  Peter  shouldn't  spoil  it  all. 
They  say  that  all  the  tall  young  men  in  France 
Were  killed  in  the  Napoleonic  wars, 
So  that  most  Frenchmen  at  the  present  day 
Are  short  and  fat.    Isn't  that  funny,  Subka? 

[She  laughs.] 

Which  shows  us  that  tall  men  are  not  required 
To-day.    So  nobody  knows.    Perhaps  thin  legs 
Like  Peter's  may  be  useful  after  all 
In  aeroplanes  or  something.    Every  ounce 
Makes  a  great  difference  there.  Nobody  knows. 
It's  natural  selection,  after  all. 
Survival  of  the  fittest!    Don't  you  see? 
Ah,  now  the  gramophone's  ready.  Make  it  play 
"Proud  Nikephor  Determined!" 


20  R  A  D  A 


MICHAEL 

[Taking  out  a  record.] 
Why,  look  here! 
Here  is  the  tune  for  Christmas  Eve. 

ARRAM 

[While  he  speaks  he  looks  to  outer  door,  and 
draws  a  curtain  over  the  window.] 

Don't  do  it! 

Don't  start  it  playing  if  you  want  to  keep 
This  Christmas  party  to  ourselves,  my  boy. 
The  men  are  mad  with  drink  and — other  things. 
Look  here,  Michael,  what  are  we  going  to  do 
About  this  youngster,  eh? 

MICHAEL 

Better  keep  quiet 

Till  morning.    When  the  men  have  slept  it  off 
They'll  stand  a  better  chance  of  slipping  away. 

NANKO 
O,  what  a  pity,  Subka!    I  did  think 


RADA  21 

That  we  should  have  some  music.     Well — I 

know! 
Tell  us  the  Christmas  piece  you  learned  in 

school. 
That's  right!    Stand  there!    No!    Stand  up  on 

the  bench. 

Your  mother  tells  me  that  you  won  the  prize 
For  learning  it  so  beautifully,  Subka. 
That's  right.    These  good  kind  gentlemen  shall 

hear 
Your  Christmas  piece. 

SUBKA 
It's  about  the  first  Christmas. 

[Her  hands  behind  her  as  if  in  school,  she  obeys 
him.] 

She  laid  him  in  a  manger;  because  there 
was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn. 

And  there  were  in  the  same  country  shepherds 
abiding  in  the  field,  keeping  watch  over 
their  flock  by  night. 

And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon 


22  RAD  A 

them,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shone 
round  about  them:  and  they  were  sore 
afraid. 

And  the  angel  said  unto  them,  "Fear  not:  for 
behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of 
great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all 
people. 

For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of 

David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord. 

And  this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you:  ye 
shall  find  the  babe  wrapped  in 
swaddling  clothes,  lying  in  a  manger." 

And  suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a 

multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  praising 
God  and  saying, 

"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  toward  men." 

[There  is  silence  for  a  moment,  then  the  sound  of  a 
pistol  shot,  a  scream,  and  a  roar  of  drunken 
laughter  without,  followed  by  a  furious  pounding 
on  the  outer  door.} 


RADA  23 

ARRAM 

Here,  Michael,  what  the  devil  are  we  to  do 
About  this  child? 

[He  calls  through  the  door.] 

Clear  out  of  this!    The  house 
Is  full!    We  want  to  sleep. 

[There  is  a  louder  shout  outside,  and  the  pounding 
is  resumed.] 

Bundle  the  child 
Into  that  room,  woman,  at  once! 

[RADA  snatches  the  revolver  from  the  Christmas 
tree  and  hurries  SUBKA  into  the  room  on  the 
right,  just  as  the  outer  door  bursts  open  and  a 
troop  of  drunken  soldiers  appear  on  the  thresh- 
old, shouting  and  furious  with  drink.] 

FIRST  SOLDIER 

Come  on! 
They're  in  that  room.    I  saw  them!    The  only 

skirts 

Left  in  the  village.    Come,  it's  Christmas  Eve, 
Comrades.    You've  had  your  fun. 


24  RAD  A 


We  want  to  sleep. 


ARRAM 

Clear  out  of  this, 


SECOND  SOLDIER 

Well,  hand  the  women  over. 


MICHAEL 

There  are  no  women  here. 


FIRST  SOLDIER 

You  bloody  wolf, 


I  saw  them! 


NANKO 

Come!   Come!   Come!  It's  Christmas 
Eve. 

SECOND  SOLDIER 

Well — if  there  are  no  women — where's  the  harm 
In  letting  us  poor  soldiers  take  a  squint 


RADA  25 

Thro'  yonder  door.    My  God,  we'll  do  it,  too. 
Come  on,  my  boys! 

[They  make  a  rush  towards  the  room.] 

NANKO 

Be  careful!    Or  you'll  smash 
The  Christmas  tree!    You'll  smash  the  gramo- 
phone! 

[A  soldier  tries  the  door  on  the  right.  Suddenly  it 
is  opened  from  within  and  RADA  appears  on 
the  threshold  with  the  revolver  in  her  hand.] 

FIRST  SOLDIER 

Liars!    Liars! 

RADA 

There  is  one  woman  here, 

One  woman  and  a  child 

And  war  they  tell  me  is  a  noble  thing; 
It  is  the  mother  of  heroic  deeds, 
The  nurse  of  honour,  manhood. 

SECOND   SOLDIER 

Christ,  a  speech! 


a6  RADA 

RADA 

Yes,  and  your  training  benefits  your  health. 

NANKO 

[Who  is  crouching  over  the  fire  again] 
Certainly,  Rada!    Military  training! 
Life  is  a  battle. 

RADA 

You  hear,  drunk  as  you  are, 
Up  to  your  necks  in  blood,  you  hear  this  fool, 
This  poor  old  fool,  piping  his  dreary  cry; 
And  through  his  lips,  and  through  his  softening 

brain, 
You  and  the  men  that  buy  you,  statesmen, 

kings, 
Teach  the  poor  sheep  of  the  world  that  war  is 

good. 
Go!    Take  your  manhood  out    of   this.    Or 

else 

[She  threatens  to  shoot] 
I  have  one  bullet  for  the  child,  and  five 
To  share  between  you  and  myself! 


RADA  27 

FIRST  SOLDIER 

O,  Christ, 
A  speech! 

[They  foil  back  before  the  revolver  as  she  raises  it.] 

RADA 

If  you  have  children  of  your  own, 
Listen  to  me    .    .    .    The  child  is  twelve  years 

old. 

She  has  never  had  one  hard  word  spoken  to  her 
In  all  her  life. 


FIRST  SOLDIER 

Nor  shall  she  now,  by  God! 
Where  is  she?    Bring  her  out! 

SECOND  SOLDIER 

Twelve  years  of  age! 
That's  ripe  enough  for  marriage  to  a  soldier. 

[They  laugh.] 


a8  RADA 

FIRST  SOLDIER 

She  can't  shoot!   Look  at  the  way  she's  holding 

it! 
Duck  down  and  make  a  rush  for  it !    Come  on ! 

[Several  of  them  make  a  rush,  RADA  steps  back  and 
shuts  the  door  in  their  faces.] 

SECOND   SOLDIER 

Locked  out,  by  God!    We'll  have  to  break  it 
down. 

MICHAEL 

She'll  keep  her  word.   You'll  never  get  'em  alive. 

ARRAM 

Never.    I  know  that  kind.    You'd  better  clear 
out! 

FIRST   SOLDIER 

Come  on!    We'll  burst  the  door. 

[They  put  their  shoulders  to  the  door  and  it  begins 


RADA  29 

to  give.  ARRAM  makes  a  sign  to  MICHAEL, 
urging  him  to  interfere.  A  revolver  shot  is  heard 
within.  The  men  pause,  and  there  is  another 
shot] 

ARRAM 

By  God,  she's  done  it! 

[There  is  a  booming  of  distant  artillery] 

MICHAEL 

Hear  that!     The  enemy! 
Making  a  night  attack! 

[There  is  a  loud  bugle  call  without] 

ARRAM 
There  goes  the  bugle! 

[They  all  rush  out,  except  NANKO,  who  looks  out 
into  the  night  after  them,  then  closes  the  outer 
door,  takes  a  crystallized  plum  from  the  table, 
crosses  the  room  and  stares  at  the  floor,  near 
the  door  on  the  right] 


30  RADA 

NANKO 
[Calls  aloud.] 

Rada,  these  plums  are  excellent.    Don't  you  see 
Life  is  a  battle !    Survival  of  the  fittest ! 
Something  red  again.  Trickling  under  the  door? 
Blood,  I  suppose.    Well,  I  don't  think  it's  right 
To  spoil  a  person's  pleasure  on  Christmas  Eve. 
I  wonder  how  the  gramophone  does  work? 
He  said  the  tune  that  he  was  putting  in 
Was  just  the  thing  for  Christmas  Eve.  I  wonder, 
I  wonder  what  it  was. 

[He  picks  up  the  box  from  which  the  record  was 
taken  and  reads  the  title} 

"A  Christmas  Carol 

Sung  by  the  monks  of  St.  Peter's  monastery 
At  midnight  mass,  on  Christmas  Eve — ADESTE, 

FIDELES!" 

Fancy  that !   How  wonderful ! 
A  Christmas  carol  on  the  gramophone ! 
So  all  the  future  ages  will  be  sure 
To  know  exactly  what  religion  was. 
To  think  we  cannot  hear  it!    Well,  no  matter, 
These  plums  are  excellent.    Everybody's  gone. 


RADA  31 

To  think  7  was  the  fittest,  after  all! 

Come,  Rada,  you're  pretending! 

[He  accidentally  starts  the  gramophone  working 

and  jumps  back,  a  little  alarmed.    He  runs  to 

the  door  and  knocks.] 

Rada!    Rada! 

I've  started  it!    Subka!    Subka!   Do  you  hear? 
The  gramophone's  working! 

[He  stoops  down  and  looks  at  the  floor  again.  The 
artillery  booms  like  a  thunder  peal  in  the  dis- 
tance. Then  the  gramophone  drowns  it  with  the 
deep  voices  of  the  monks,  a  great  chorus,  sing- 
ing ADESTE,  FIDELES!  NANKO  dips  his  finger 
in  something  on  the  floor  and  stares  at  it.  A 
look  of  horror  comes  into  his  face.  He  stands 
with  his  mouth  open,  listening.] 

It's  true! 


CAST 

of  the  first  performance  at  the  Christmas  (1913) 

Festival  of  THE  MACDOWELL  CLUB 

or  NEW  YORK  CITY 

RADA 

A  Drama  in  One  Act  by  Alfred  Noyes 

(A  Christmas  Tragedy  of  the  Balkans,  being  a 
plea  for  "Peace  on  earth,  good  will  toward  men.") 


PERSONS  OF  THE   PLAY 

RADA,  wife  of  the  village  doctor,  Miss  Mirzah  Cheslir 
SUBKA,  her  daughter,  aged  twelve,  Miss  Lenore  Phelps 
ARRAM  I  two  hostile  soldiers  t  Mr  H  Hull 

>•     quartered  on  her     < 
MICHAEL,  )  house  in  time  of  war  (  Mr.  Wright  Kramer 

NANKO,  a  half-witted  schoolmaster, 

Mr.  Charles  White  Whittlesey 

FIRST  SOLDIER  .     .     .    Mr.  Charles  Douville  Coburn 

SECOND  SOLDIER Mr.  Harold  Herts 

Mr.  Charles  F.  Peters 


OTHER  SOLDIERS 


Mr.  Harold  Butterfield 
Mr.  W.  G.  Belew 


SCENE  :  The  living-room  of  a  country  doctor  in  the 
Balkans,  in  a  village  which  has  just  been  taken 
by  the  enemy. 

TIME  :  Christmas  Eve. 

Stage  Director,  Miss  MARY  SHAW 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-100m-9,'52(A3105)444 


_  THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORN1 
ANGELES 


PR    Noyes- 
Rada. 


N87r 


PR 
6027 

N87r 


A  000  569  924  4 


